how long should it take an attorney to respond

Is 2 weeks a long time for a lawyer to respond?

Jan 11, 2013 · Eight days is probably pushing it for a 'reasonable' response time; but that really depends on a few things, including how urgently a response is required for action. The most common complaint that clients have about their attorneys, I've heard, is that we don't communicate quickly enough.

Do lawyers have to respond to clients 24/7?

Aug 29, 2015 · Posted on Aug 29, 2015. 2 weeks is a while. Most lawyers try to respond much more quickly. I would say that you should follow up with an email and or a phone call, sometimes phone calls are better. I am licensed in Pennsylvania. Members of my firm are licensed in various states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

What if my attorney does not respond within a business day?

Dec 28, 2019 · A: The lawyer should be responsive to your questions within 24-48 hours after you left a message. If the lawyer is not responsive, perhaps he or she is on vacation and unable to return. However, if after a reasonable time your lawyer never returns your calls he or she may be violating the rules of professional conduct under a 'communication with clients' section.

What should I expect from my lawyer?

Jul 29, 2020 · Courts often have a backlog of cases, especially right now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your case could be waiting in line for months, a year or even longer. During these long periods of waiting, you may not hear from your attorney, and they may not be super responsive if there’s nothing new to report.

Why do lawyers take so long to get back to you?

Once a case gets filed in court, things can really slow down. Common reasons why a case will take longer than one would hope can include: Trouble getting the defendant or respondent served. The case cannot proceed until the defendant on the case has been formally served with the court papers.May 28, 2020

Is it normal to not hear from your lawyer?

Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.Oct 25, 2018

What do you do if your lawyer doesn't respond?

If your lawyer still does not respond, you can send him or her a letter explaining the communication problems. If at this point you do not hear anything from your lawyer, you should consult with a legal malpractice attorney.Sep 27, 2018

When should I hear back from my lawyer?

Your Lawyer Is Busy with Other Cases Even if your lawyer is working on another case, they should still get back to you within a day or two at the most. Your lawyer owes you responsive communication, even if you're not their only client. There's no excuse for an attorney who takes weeks to return calls or emails.Jul 29, 2020

Why do lawyers ignore you?

There's bad news your attorney doesn't want to deliver. If your attorney is not experienced or efficient, they may have missed a deadline or made another mistake and aren't willing to confess their error. There could also be some bad news that is entirely outside of the attorney's control.Mar 29, 2021

How often should I hear from my attorney?

You should never be afraid or feel like an intrusion to contact your attorney every three weeks or so, or more frequently if there is a lot going on with your health or other matters related to your legal case. There is of course a limit to how much you should be contacting or sharing.Jun 17, 2020

What should you not say to a lawyer?

9 Taboo Sayings You Should Never Tell Your LawyerI forgot I had an appointment. ... I didn't bring the documents related to my case. ... I have already done some of the work for you. ... My case will be easy money for you. ... I have already spoken with 5 other lawyers. ... Other lawyers don't have my best interests at heart.More items...•Mar 17, 2021

How do you know a bad lawyer?

Signs of a Bad LawyerBad Communicators. Communication is normal to have questions about your case. ... Not Upfront and Honest About Billing. Your attorney needs to make money, and billing for their services is how they earn a living. ... Not Confident. ... Unprofessional. ... Not Empathetic or Compassionate to Your Needs. ... Disrespectful.Aug 19, 2020

What is unethical for a lawyer?

Attorney misconduct may include: conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while ...

How do I ask my lawyer for an update?

AnswerRaise the issue early on. Establish, in advance, a clear understanding about case updates. ... Be reasonable. A defendant who phones his or her attorney with a request for information can indicate a willingness to speak with the lawyer's associate, secretary, or paralegal.

Jennifer L. Ellis

If your attorney is anything like me, she gets 160 emails a day. I understand your inquiry is important but not urgent, resend it with a return receipt request to be sure it is opened. If it gets urgent, resend it as a fex and call staff to ask for a prompt reply. More

Anthony Bettencourt Cameron

It is definitely not a good sign that you are posting this to strangers and not her. Two weeks sounds unreasonable but perhaps they are on vacation or the message was forgotten so follow up on same.

Eliot M. Wolf

This is a judgment call, and depends very much on your situation and its urgency. If you've got a hearing or a deadline coming up and you're trying to make a decision, then your situation may be very urgent, and that might justify following up more quickly, and more insistently, than otherwise...

William J. Dyer

The best way to communicate is the way that you and your lawyer have agreed to in advance. A lawyer is responsible to be communicative with a client, in fact, failing to do so is a serious ethical breach--but there is no hard and fast requirement in any state I am...

Your Lawyer Is Busy with Other Cases

Your attorney may not be able to respond to you right away because they’re dealing with another client’s negotiations or trial. Being busy with another client isn’t an excuse to completely fail to respond to another client. Even if your lawyer is working on another case, they should still get back to you within a day or two at the most.

The Insurance Company Is Delaying Negotiations

You may not hear from your attorney for a while due to ongoing settlement negotiations or procedural aspects of your case.

Court Delays

Another potential cause for silence from your lawyer is court processes. Courts often have a backlog of cases, especially right now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your case could be waiting in line for months, a year or even longer.

You May Not be a High Priority for Your Attorney

Not every attorney budgets their time well. When attorneys have too many concurrent cases, clients can easily get left behind at both large law firms and small ones.

Your Chances for Success Have Gone Down

Shifting expectations of case value can harm client communication. If your lawyer thinks your case could be worth a million dollars or more, they’re going to pursue it more vigorously than they would a $20,000 lawsuit.

Preventing Communication Breakdowns

Choosing the right law firm at the start of the process is the best way to avoid bad communication with your accident attorney. Getting an accurate read on another person’s character based on a free initial consultation isn’t easy.

What happens if my attorney doesn't respond to my question?

If your attorney does not respond within a business day, he or she should provide you with a reason why they were unable to answer your question (typically, if your lawyer is working on multiple cases, he or she may be tied down in court on some days).

How to communicate with a lawyer?

Lawyer communication, competency, ethics, and fees are important aspects of an attorney-client relationship. As a summary you can expect your lawyer to do the following: 1 Give you advice about your legal situation 2 Keep you informed about your case 3 Tell you what he or she thinks will happen in your case 4 Allow you to make the important decisions regarding your case 5 Give you an estimate about what your case should cost 6 Assist you in any cost-benefit analyses that you may need 7 Keep in communication with you 8 Inform you of any changes, delays or setbacks 9 Give you the information you need to make good decisions, and 10 Prepare you for your case, including deposition and trial preparation.

What is lawyer communication?

Lawyer communication refers to the correspondence and communication between a client and his/her attorney. If you have a lawyer communication problem, you may be wondering if you have a bad attorney or if he or she is doing a poor job on your case. You should know that many states have laws regarding when and how a lawyer must communicate with clients.

What is billing at an attorney's rate?

Billing at an attorney's rate for work done by a paralegal or legal secretary. Complaints regarding over-charging for time spent on a case. The first thing that you should do upon finding and hiring the right lawyer for your case is to make sure that you get the fee agreement in writing that you can understand.

What are the most common problems lawyers have with their clients?

Fees. Disputes regarding attorneys' fees are perhaps the most common problem that clients have with their lawyers. Fee disputes typically arise for many reasons, but the following are the most common: Complaints about bills being too high. Disagreements over what kinds of fees would be charged to the client.

What is competency in law?

In addition to lawyer communication problems, you may also have problems with the competency of your lawyer's work. Competency relates to the core knowledge and expertise of an attorney in handling a client's legal issue. You should remember that lawyers are not machines and they are just as capable of making a mistake as anyone else ...

What happens if an attorney doesn't respond to a client's message?

If your attorney has stopped responding to your message, you may wonder if they have committed legal malpractice.

What to do if you don't hear from your lawyer?

If at this point you do not hear anything from your lawyer, you should consult with a legal malpractice attorney. A knowledgeable legal malpractice attorney can review the circumstances of a case and attempt to communicate with your unresponsive lawyer.

How to contact a malpractice lawyer?

Before contacting a malpractice attorney, you should attempt to contact your attorney multiple times by phone, email and other communication platforms you have used to reach him or her . If your lawyer still does not respond, you can send him or her a letter explaining the communication problems.

What are the rules of professional conduct?

According to The American Bar Association (ABA) model rules of professional conduct related to communication, lawyers must: · Inform clients of decisions and circumstance related to their case. · Consult with clients about how they will accomplish their legal goals. · Respond to client requests for information.

What should an attorney advise you at the first meeting?

The attorney should advise you at the first meeting how long it will be to complete everything; if things are delayed for some reason, the attorney should be calling YOU to explain why! I don't like the sound of how things are going with this attorney and agree with the others that you may want to try to move on.

Can a lawyer send you a bill for time spent on your case?

Unfortunately, if the lawyer has already spent time on your case, he may feel justified in sending you a bill for the time spent to date. You will have to review your agreement with the attorney (if any). Sometimes telling the attorney that you are upset and are considering filing a complaint with the local legal ethics board will (a) ...

Do I need a new attorney for my divorce?

YES, you definitely need a new attorney (if you want to go that route) - it shouldn't take that long at all, and as the other post said and I agree - you shouldn't have any relative or friend helping you with these papers - it's none of their business. And go back and get the papers from the original lawyer. Good luck.